The Hacienda Owners Association is a proud supporter of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's 2006 Spare the Air program. Important AirAlert advisories alert Bay Area residents about those days where their efforts to reduce air pollution can make a substantial difference in regional air quality. The 2006 summer Spare the Air season runs from June 1st through October 13th. Annually, over 1,800 employers participate in this important air quality effort. Thursday, June 22nd will be this seasons first Spare the Air day.

2006 Program
The main component of the Spare the Air program is the AirAlert advisory notice that can be e-mailed directly to participants alerting them that a Spare the Air day is going to occur. Spare the Air organizers are encouraging any person interested in the program to sign up individually. Registrants are automatically entered into a drawing for incredible prizes including a trip to Costa Rica. New registrations are needed each year so previous participants will need to re-register to continue receiving notifications and to be eligible for this years prize drawing. Follow this link to get started: http://airalert.sparetheair.org.

Business Participation Sought
Businesses are also encouraged to join the Spare the Air program to help provide comprehensive notification services and assistance to their employees. Employers can enroll in the fax or email notification program at the following location: http://www.sparetheair.org/employers/regform.htm. Once enrolled, the Air District informs employers by fax or email or both when they are expecting a Spare the Air day. Employer coordinators are notified at approximately 1 p.m. the day before, providing them time to inform the employees at their worksite. A number of resources are available to employer participants as well. Reports, references, tool-kits and more are yours as part of the program. You may also order free materials, such as brochures, posters, and incentive items, to support your Spare the Air efforts at: http://www.sparetheair.org/employers/orderform.htm.

2006 Free Transit Days
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission will be offering free full day commutes for the first three non-holiday Spare the Air weekdays on participating transit agencies. There will be a maximum of three free days during the June to October smog season and the free commute will be available on every participating Bay Area transit system for all passengers. You will get advance notice of these free commute days though the AirAlert e-mails. You can visit www.511.org to confirm if your local transit agency is a free commuter partner.

Hacienda Spare the Air Resources
Hacienda would also like to help facilitate your participation in the Spare the Air program. As a key component of the Spare the Air program are efforts to reduce vehicle emissions. We have a number of special incentives to assist you with the use of commute alternatives. Additional information on energy management and pollution reduction is also available. Resources include:

Free WHEELS pass
All Hacienda employees and residents may obtain a free WHEELS pass to use any time on the WHEELS system. This pass provides free access to: all local buses, links to and from BART and ACE rail services, and the I-680 Express between Hacienda and the Pleasant Hill/Walnut Creek area. To obtain a pass, simply follow this link: www.hacienda.org/services/services_commute_pass.html.

New Rider Program
Take a ride on ACE, BART, SJRTD, Tri-Delta Transit or AC Transit for free. If you are interested in trying a transportation alternative for the first time, check out Hacienda's New Rider program. Details are available by following this link: www.hacienda.org/services/services_commute_rider.html.

Energy Conservation and Pollution Reduction Resources
Hacienda has a number of informational materials related to the Spare the Air Campaign. If you would like a special package of Spare the Air information including energy conservation tips, details on simple actions that aid pollution reduction efforts, alternative commute guides and more, simply post an e-mail to the following address, info@hacienda.org, and let us know what information you would like to receive.